


While The Leader Was Gone

by andonlythinkofme



Category: Walking Dead, Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-07
Updated: 2013-03-07
Packaged: 2017-12-04 14:26:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/711728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andonlythinkofme/pseuds/andonlythinkofme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What was going on in the prison while Rick, Michonne, and Carl were gone? Takes place during 3x12 "Clear"</p>
            </blockquote>





	While The Leader Was Gone

**Author's Note:**

> What Carol was doing while Rick and the rest were gone.

Judith waved her arms at the white fabric above her. Carol did it several times, lowering the shirt close enough for the baby’s fists to graze it before lifting it up again. The baby’s gurgles of joy brought a smile to the blue-eyed woman’s face.

“Shouldn’t ya’ be doin’ the laundry?” A raspy voice asked from behind her.

“Shouldn’t you be helping Daryl?” Carol shot back. Merle’s throaty chuckle rumbled loudly. He stepped forward so he could lean against the upper level prison rail. Carol folded the shirt she’d been using to tease Judith. The baby in her little plastic basket lay beside a mass of clean clothes. On Carol’s other side was her meager pile of folded clothes and the hulking form of the older Dixon brother. Carol had taken to folding when Rick, Michonne, and Carl left earlier in the day. It gave her something to occupy her hands with while she waited. Playing with Judith was just a perk.

“Baby brother wanted to go solo. In an’ out job. Bro thinks he moves faster without ole’ Merle.” The man chuckled again.

“Probably true.” Carol picked up another shirt and shook it to dislodge any wrinkles.

“What? Ya’ think ole’ Merle can’t hold his own?”

“I think you’re bored without Daryl here and bothering me is your entertainment.”

Merle scooted closer to Carol who did her best not to flinch away. He’d been on his best behavior since reemerging in their lives, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t unsettled by him.

Glenn walked into view down on the bottom floor of the cellblock.

“You okay, Carol?” He yelled up, hand hovering over the gun attached to his waist.

“Nothin’ goin’ on up here Chinaman. Carol an’ I are havin’ a conversation.” Glenn ignored Merle, just waiting for Carol’s response.

“We’re good.” Carol called. Merle shuffled about next to her, obviously upset that he was ignored, but it comforted Carol to know that Glenn was looking out for her. The young man gave her a nod and slowly ambled around the cellblock, not leaving the immediate vicinity.

“Chinaman still not too keen on me.” Merle whispered to Carol.

“You did try to kill him. I don’t think those wounds heal quickly.”

Merle huffed but didn’t respond to that. The gates of the cellblock opened and a dirty man with a bundle of squirrels in his fist entered. Daryl looked around the bottom floor where Glenn and the Greene family were congregated. He dumped the squirrels on one of the metal tables. Carol watched him say something to Beth who pointed up at the two on the top level. Daryl looked up. The small smile he gave her morphed into a glare when he saw his brother standing so close to her and the baby.

“Baby brother don’t look to happy now does he?” Merle graduated from chuckles to a full belly laugh. Daryl climbed up the stairs two at a time.

“What the hell you doin’?” He said, moving to stand behind Carol.

“Just talkin’. Ain’t nobody here given ole’ Merle conversation so I’m just chattin’ up to this pretty lady.”

Carol turned to face the two brothers, one smiling the other glaring. She knew that there probably wouldn’t be any bloodshed, but the argument that she could feel brewing was not worth it in her opinion. Or at the very least if an argument needed to happen, Carol didn’t want it over her.

“What did you catch, Daryl?” She asked as sweetly as she could. Daryl broke eye contact to look at her. She smiled at him.

“Some, um, some squirrels an’ stuff,” Daryl tilted his head down so he had to look at her from under the fringe of his hair. Carol smothered the swirl of affection she always felt when Daryl acted so shy. Merle for his part said nothing.

“That’s great, Rick will be glad to see it when the group gets back.” Carol spun around to lift little Judith from her makeshift crib.

“Why don’t you take Lil’ Ass-Kicker to Beth? She’ll be hungry soon.”

Daryl’s eyes shifted between Carol and his brother. Carol conveyed to him with her body language, “it’s okay, we’re fine, it’s all good.” If Merle was going to be a part of the group, he had to be trusted with them. Plus it really was a simple conversation. Nothing to write home about. Daryl slowly reached for the baby, looking puzzled all the while. It wasn’t often that Carol actually sent him away. She gave Daryl a smile as she placed the drowsy child in his arms.

Once Daryl left, Merle went back to the chuckle Carol was starting to associate with him.

“Good choice.” He said.

“What?” Carol went back to folding the clothes, her head inclined towards him.

“Choosin’ me. Baby boy down there ain’t so good with the ladies. Ole’ Merle though, can handle a girl.”

“Thanks but no thanks. I just didn’t want blood all over the clean clothes.”

Merle went back to leaning on the rail.

“Well than, little lady. Go on an’ break my heart.”

Carol smiled and went about finishing the laundry in silence with the man.

“He’s not so bad,” she thought, “as long as he’s not talking.”

This time Carol chuckled.

 


End file.
